


Ten Things Lois Lane Will Lose Today

by avani



Category: Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Daily Planet Shenanigans, F/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 18:14:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21275549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avani/pseuds/avani
Summary: It's not easy, being Lois Lane.





	Ten Things Lois Lane Will Lose Today

**Author's Note:**

> This is more a general mishmash of various Superman canons, rather than any one in particular.

**Her chance to grab the last maple donut**

Because as much as she wishes otherwise, sources keep their own schedule–and all the more when they’ve got information to share about the Bakerline burglaries. The lecture from Perry about being on time for Monday morning staff meetings doesn’t sting much; the sight of the empty bakery box in the break room does.

**Her spot at the top of Perry’s Shit List**

She’s barely out of Perry’s office when he bellows behind her: “Where the hell is Kent?”

Nobody seems to know, or to have seen him at all since last night, and Perry turns purple. Cat Grant calmly puts in earplugs, Ron Troupe rolls his eyes, and Jimmy dives for cover.

Lois sits down at her computer, so accustomed to the boss’s shouts by now that it’s no more than vaguely comforting white noise. If Smallville is running late because he forgot to turn off his toaster, that’s not her problem.

**Her lunch**

The TV screens in the press room announce a report about the recent insurgency in Bialya, and Lois’ stomach turns as she looks at the sunken cheeks of children, the wary looks they dart at the soldiers surrounding them. They’ve never known anything other than this, she thinks, and it makes her stomach churn with anger and helplessness.

It is a relief to see the familiar flash of blue-and-red in the sky.

**Her patience**

“The name’s Blodgett–-B-L-O-D-G-E-T-T–-and I’m a friend of Bobby’s,” Lois shouts over the phone. “I hear you’re the man to talk to if I’ve got some merchandise to move?” An incredulous pause. “No, that’s B-L-O-D-G-E-T-T–”

Why is it that being one of Metropolis’s most notorious fences means you also have to be dumber than a plank of wood?

**Her lunch (again)**

Lombard flexes his biceps at an intern who must be barely legal, and looks faintly disappointed when she doesn’t so much as giggle in delight.

_God_, thinks Lois disgustedly, and reminds herself to file another anonymous complaint with HR before the day is done.

**Her temper**

Cat decides to polish her Kerth Award just as Lois walks past her desk. Most of the wise guys in the office figure they don’t get along because they’re two women in the same profession, as if that’s any reason that makes sense, rather than recognizing the fierce professional rivalry, and corresponding personal respect, that exists between the two.

Still. That doesn’t mean Cat has to rub her nomination in her face, not when stupid Clark Kent and his stupid first-ever exclusive on Superman stole the award in her equivalent field.

She settles for kicking one of the legs of Cat’s chair; Cat looks around cautiously and sticks out her tongue in response.

**Her favorite pen**

“Seriously?” Lois demands of the universe. “Who’s the asshole who stole my pen?”

Quietly, in the corner, Jimmy mumbles, “Oops.”

**Her reputation**

It’s not that a big a deal, even. Just one stupid article, written in Kent’s clunky style and uploaded under his name--only because she’s tired of hearing Perry stomping around promising to fire him as soon as he shows his face.

Still. Mad Dog Lane doesn’t stick her name out like that for anyone. If Kent knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep his mouth shut.

**Her damn mind**

Francis-the-Fence finally manages to figure out the spelling of Sadie Blodgett’s name long enough to fax her a list of further contacts, and as Lois thinks contentedly as she scans the names, surely one of them is going to be her key to unveiling the Bakerline Burglar.

That’s before she realizes he’s only managed to send her page one of five.

“For crying out–-”

**Her heart**

Kent slinks in at half past six, long after everyone else has gone home. Lois, who’s only just managed to terrify a full list of names out of Francis and can finally go home, looks up to find him smiling.

“Perry congratulated me on my article,” he tells her. “Said it was my best work yet.”

Lois shrugs. “Figured I had to rub off on you eventually, Smallville. Don’t let it go to your head.”

Clark shakes his head. “Never,” he says, but he’s still smiling faintly in that way that makes her think things she really shouldn't, except–-

Behind his glasses, his eyes are brilliant blue.

**Author's Note:**

> Reposted from Tumblr, from a prompt by spiffycups! Find me at @avani008.


End file.
